


Between you and me

by imrnlyn



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: #HOWOOnderland, #HOWOOnderlandFicFest, #HWFF, Canon Compliant, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Secret Relationship, Soonhoon - Freeform, howoo, jihoon is a soft boy wbk, lee chan best boy, non-au, some of the members make appearances, why does nobody listen to the maknae
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-10
Updated: 2020-11-10
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:28:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27490477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imrnlyn/pseuds/imrnlyn
Summary: Something’s not right. Chan knows there’s something going on.
Relationships: Kwon Soonyoung | Hoshi/Lee Jihoon | Woozi
Comments: 18
Kudos: 206
Collections: HOWOOnderland Fic Fest





	Between you and me

**Author's Note:**

> I am back after a crippling writer's block.
> 
> This is my entry to the HOWOOnderland Fic Fest Contest. The prompt I got was _**'Canon compliant but it is Chan being a hard SOONHOON shipper.'**_  
>  I really hope I gave this justice. Thank you to the organizers of this fic event! #HOWOOnderlandFicFest #HWFF #HOWOOnderland
> 
> It's my first time writing a non-AU fic so I hope this doesn't suck. I apologize in advance for any grammar errors and typos I may have let slip. Enjoy!

“Now what?” Soonyoung asks.

He and Jihoon were in his room, watching a movie just so they could have a reason to share a blanket and cuddle. How they got here? It’s kind of a long and confusing story.

They’ve known each other for almost 10 years but only a few months ago did they realize they actually had romantic feelings for each other and somehow things ended well. Simply judging from the current lack of space between their bodies.

  
Jihoon forwarded the lyrics he was working on to the members and Soonyoung connected two and two.

It’s mind-boggling, really. Jihoon thought he was subtle about it. Guess not.

Soonyoung was just half-kidding when he asked Jihoon, “These lyrics sound like they’re about me.” He snickers, Jihoon blushes. You could basically hear a pin drop from how still the room became. Luckily, it was just the two of them then, until it wasn’t when the members started piling in the room so they could discuss the upcoming album.

The song didn’t end up being part of the album tracklist. If everyone else found it weird how Jihoon kept insisting he wasn’t really planning on it and Soonyoung agreeing, everyone else doesn’t ask any further.

But they do talk about it later on in the studio with the excuse of having to ‘work’ on Soonyoung’s solo track that he insisted (read: forced) he and Jihoon needed to make since he mentioned it before on a broadcast.

“I don’t know what you want me to say Soonyoung.” Jihoon starts. “You figured out, what I meant when I wrote that.”

Soonyoung takes a calming breath, he was nervous because he knew this could go wrong real quick if he’s not careful. “I want it to come from you Jihoon. I don’t want to assume.”

Jihoon sighs, looking down just so he wasn’t looking at Soonyoung’s face. For once, he didn’t know what was going on in Soonyoung’s head.

“I like you. I have, for a while now. I’m just sorry you had to find out this way. I didn’t mean for you to know.”

When Jihoon looks up, he catches the hurt in Soonyoung’s eyes and he thinks again how much the boy confuses the hell out of him.

“Don’t say that.” Soonyoung mumbles. “I thought I was just reading it wrong. The way you’d always look at me in a room full of people, how it’s you who’s always the first to react to my lame jokes. We both know they’re not that funny.”

Jihoon smiles at that, mostly to himself.

“And just the way you tolerate me when I barge in here and mess with your stuff. You don’t like it when everyone else does, but you always let me.”

“Yeah…” He’s so sure of the rejection that was coming next.

_I only see you as a friend or, worse, a brother._

“Ji, I like you too.”

  
Soonyoung reaches for Jihoon’s hand under the blanket, lacing their fingers together. He smiles when Jihoon starts rubbing his thumb on his skin. It’s so warm and he likes it so damn much.

“Don’t we have to tell them? You know, about us?” Soonyoung asks and sees Jihoon furrowing his eyebrows in thought, ignoring the weird feeling in his stomach at the thought of them being an ‘us’ from now on.

“I’m not sure. But maybe soon, when we’re not as busy?”

Soonyoung agrees. Everyone’s busy as it is, preparing for this album.

“Besides, you and I both know Seungcheol hyung is the only one who’ll bitch about us keeping it a secret,” Jihoon says. Soonyoung laughs and rests his head on his shoulder so they could cuddle some more before the members return from wherever they currently were.

-

It was fine keeping it a secret from everyone.

Actually, it was more than fine.

It’s the rush of it, the risk of getting caught, the secret smiles they share when they think nobody’s looking, sneaking out of their rooms at night when they think Seungkwan and Jeonghan were finally asleep, and the hushed conversations they share at night before one of them had to sneak back to their own room but not without a good night kiss.

  
Something’s not right though. Chan knows there’s something going on.

“Hyung, don’t you think Soonyoung hyung is being weird?” Chan asks Seungkwan after one of their late practices in particular.

For some reason, in between breaks during practice, he noticed Soonyoung smiling to his phone more than he thought was normal. He’s only sure because Soonyoung was always focused during practices. During breaks, he seldom touched his phone so as not to break his concentration on making the routine. But the leader wasn’t distracted per se, they were still ahead of schedule so there was no reason to call him out for it.

“What do you mean? He’s always weird.” Seungkwan says in return, not even paying half as much attention to the younger as he would give if Hansol was the one talking.

Chan decides to drop it for now. It wasn’t like it was any of his concern anyway.

He goes and asks Jeonghan just in case since he was the last tenant in the same house as the two were. All he got was a hearty laugh in return.

“They’ve always been like that. Don’t worry about it.”

He couldn’t help but scoff and leave. _Nobody ever pays attention._

He knew he’s probably acting out of line. But they didn’t see the hushed conversation this morning when he came into the kitchen. He was going to look in the fridge for some eggs since he and Hansol wanted eggs for breakfast and they’ve run out of it. He didn’t know if anyone was there and it was mostly silent so he figured nobody was probably home.

That is until he walked further inside and saw Soonyoung and Jihoon instantly falling quiet as if they weren’t just giggling like a bunch of teenagers. The two looking back at him just as surprised from where they were sitting side by side, eating what he assumes is breakfast. They honestly looked like a couple of deer caught in the headlights. 

  
“I think Chan knows,” Jihoon says a lot later in the evening when they’re in the studio working on nothing in particular. Just playing a couple of beats Jihoon made in case they could maybe write a song around it.

“Maybe we should lay low for now,” Soonyoung suggests.

“Yeah, no more sneaking in my room.” Jihoon teases him. He knew exactly which buttons to push to get a reaction from his boyfriend and it worked judging from the dejected look on Soonyoung’s face.

“But that’s my favorite part of my day.” He pouts. Jihoon kisses it away.

They do come to an agreeable set-up either way.

It’s been a little over 2 months so they know they’re doing a respectable job of keeping their little secret. Except for that little mishap with Chan that morning. They both know it’s better for everyone if they kept it under the wraps since they’re busy all the time. Everyone barely even has the time to visit their families. Add to the fact that they’ve been breaking their own records album after album so a lot of eyes are on them, understandably.

-

Soonyoung was on his way out. Chan knows because he was wearing his padded jacket.

“Hyung, where are you going?”

It takes a few seconds before Soonyoung could answer but it comes out more like a question. “Out to eat?”

So he takes this a chance to maybe get him to say something he shouldn’t. “With who?” He asks.

“Huh?”

Chan shakes his head. “Nevermind. Minghao hyung wanted to go over the song. Says he’s almost done with the choreography and wanted us to see it.”

“Now?”

Chan nods and sees Soonyoung visibly deflate from his prior excitement of heading out but continues to put his shoes on anyway. 

He and Jihoon have been planning to go on a proper date before promotions hit them right in the face. But, he’s the performance team leader and duty calls.

Jihoon’s phone chimes on the table where he was already waiting for Soonyoung, having just finished the last tweaks to a new song he’d been working on for weeks. 

  
**_From: Kwon_ **   
_Can’t come to dinner, Minghao called us over to the studio. Sorry :(_

  
**_To: Kwon_ **   
_Do you think you’ll be there for long?_

  
**_From: Kwon_ **   
_Probably. I think they want to go over the whole routine. I’m really sorry hoonie :(_

  
**_To: Kwon_ **   
_It’s fine, dummy. I’m not the one who’s going to miss this delicious barbecue._   
_(photo)_

On the way to the studio, Soonyoung suddenly thrashes and screams startling Chan out of his skin.

“Ah! I really wanted to eat some pork belly!”

“Want to eat later after practice at that place that’s open 24 hours?” Chan asks after he recovers from the initial shock.

Soonyoung turns to him, a little rattled himself from his own reaction. It’s just dinner and Jihoon assured him they could go some other time. Work is work.

“No. I’ll just eat some other time.”

Chan apologizes. Soonyoung didn’t really know why.

**_From: Lee_ **   
_Don’t worry. I’m not eating alone. I called Seokmin to come since my boyfriend is busy (eye roll emoji)_

**_To: Lee_ **   
_I was literally on my way there :(_

**_From: Lee_ **   
_I know. See you later at the studio?_

**_To: Lee_ **   
_Of course ❤️_

When practice was halfway done, Chan’s phone starts ringing so they had to go on a short break.

“Hey, we’re having pork belly,” Seokmin says over the music of the restaurant. “Do you want us to take some home?”

“Us?” Chan wonders. “Who are you with?”

“Jihoon hyung.”

Chan instinctively turns to Soonyoung and their eyes meet for a second before the latter realizes what he’s done and looks away quickly, going back to polishing some of the choreography.

Practice ends later than expected but they were able to finish the routine, just like Minghao had said. It’s not going to be easier but at least they finally have less on their shoulders.

Chan and Jun lose their game of who gets left behind to clean the studio while Minghao and Soonyoung had the privilege to go and freshen up and rest some more before they could head home.

Cleaning was long done. Minghao was in the van waiting. Chan told Jun he could go ahead and wait in the car too while he goes and look around for wherever Soonyoung seemed to disappear to.

He goes around the floor and notices one room was still lit. Woozi’s Room.

Chan doesn’t bother to knock since there was never a need to. He comes in and realizes he should definitely have knocked first.

Soonyoung was passed out on the black couch (His shirt, thankfully, already changed. Therefore, no longer smelly.) With Jihoon just as deeply asleep as he was, tucked to his side. He had an arm around Jihoon’s shoulder, the latter’s head rested peacefully on Soonyoung’s shoulder, one of Jihoon’s hand carelessly placed on Soonyoung’s thigh.

He could’ve taken a picture. It wasn’t like he was going to get in trouble for it anyway. It was prime blackmailing material. But, if Chan was being honest, he liked whatever was going between his two hyungs. Soonyoung was visibly happier and there was no doubt that Jihoon was too. Judging from the way he acts, he doesn’t look and feel as stressed as before. Not to mention how Soonyoung hasn’t been trying to kill them at practice when somebody’s arm or leg is not in the right angle.

So he backs out into the hallway quietly, careful not to wake the two.

And when Jun asks later, he simply tells them, “Jihoon hyung was asking for his help in the studio. They’ll head home together.”

  
Jihoon heard the door shut. He also heard Chan speak just somewhere outside the door. He’s pretty sure they’ve been caught.

Soonyoung wakes up much later and glances around half awake. He didn’t even realize he'd fallen asleep. He was just trying to get Jihoon down for a nap knowing the other has been working on the song all night and just had at least 2 hours of sleep before they were supposed to eat together.

“Chan saw us,” Jihoon says, unmoving from where he’s sat in front of his computer.

“Huh?” Soonyoung rubs his eyes.

This time, Jihoon turns around and Soonyoung sees the serious expression on his face. “He saw us when we were sleeping.” To be fair, Jihoon doesn’t even know why he’s scared.

Soonyoung yawns. “Don’t worry about it. It’s not like it’s the first time we slept beside each other.”  
He sees Jihoon fidget before he says, “But I don’t hold everyone else to sleep like I held you.”

Soonyoung’s heart starts drumming deep in his chest and he knows he’s blushing even in the deep blue light of the room. “I want to kiss you so bad right now just for saying that but you’re stressed, I can see that.”

The other doesn’t say anything in return and just sits there with worry in his eyes.

_What if everyone else finds out this way? They’re not supposed to find out like that._

Soonyoung thinks and thinks but his mind still feels like it’s made of cotton from how good his nap was so he couldn’t really come up with anything good. But, he tries anyway. “We can pretend to be fighting tomorrow when everyone comes to record the song?” He sees Jihoon smile at that and he’s relieved.

“You think that’s going to work?” The boy asks him sarcastically, chuckling. Music to his ears, really.

He shrugs in return. “What did you have in mind then?”

Jihoon simply beams, indulging the suggestion. “Nothing. Fine. Let’s go with your stupid idea.”

“It’s not stupid.”

  
The recording goes just as planned. Soonyoung was fourth to record but Jihoon kept saying his tone wasn’t right or he was missing the beat, so everyone let him rest and come back when he’s practiced with it. No one dared to ask why Jihoon was being particularly picky with him. He wasn’t even doing a bad job. In fact, he was great. No one had any idea what was going on with them.

“Ask Seokmin to show you how to do it, you have the same lines.” Jihoon spits, irritated when Soonyoung comes out of the recording booth.

Soonyoung only comes back 11 members later.

“You’re still not singing it right.” Jihoon almost yells, surprising everyone.

“Jihoon, calm down,” Jeonghan calls him out and Seungcheol knew this wasn’t going to work so he calls for a 30-minute break.

Jihoon shuts his eyes tight and bows his head while breathing deeply. This was so hard. Why did Soonyoung have to come up with this? More importantly, why did he even go with it?

“Sorry, hyung.” He utters under his breath.

The door to the recording booth bursts open and Soonyoung is walking out of the studio so fast he almost misses him.

“Soonyoung’s the one you should be saying sorry to,” Seungcheol replies when Soonyoung slams the door shut.

He has no idea if this was still part of the act but he feels horrible either way, so he goes after Soonyoung.

Jihoon thinks it’s a good thing everyone else has gone home. It was just the 5 of them left. But it’s been more than 5 minutes since Soonyoung stormed out. This wasn’t part of the plan. Jihoon’s been waiting for him to come back and he was worried sick. But he can’t just go when recordings still weren’t over.

He looks around and hears quiet sniffling a few rooms down and discovers Soonyoung trying so hard to wipe his face with the sleeves of his sweater.

Jihoon rushes to him, pulling his arms away from his face in an attempt to do it for him. It was his fault in the first place. “Soon, I’m sorry. I was too harsh.”

“No. I’m… it’s fine. I knew it was the plan. It was my plan but I can’t stop crying.” Soonyoung tries to laugh it off. “I keep remembering our trainee years. This is ridiculous, do you have some tissue?"

Jihoon offers the sleeves of his jacket. “I’m still sorry. Come here.” He pulls Soonyoung into a hug, letting him soak his shoulder. Soonyoung finally calms down, eyes puffy, cheeks and nose red as an apple.

Jihoon carefully looks at his boyfriend and when their eyes meet, they couldn’t help but laugh at themselves. “I told you it was a stupid idea.”

Soonyoung shakes his head. “I forgot that you were good at being mean.” He brushes off some of Jihoon’s bangs that were starting to poke his eyes. It’s a good thing they were getting their haircuts soon. “We should go back. They’re probably wondering where we are.”  
Soonyoung walks ahead to wash his face in the bathroom but Jihoon holds him back by the hand. “Soonyoung, wait.”

When Soonyoung turns back around to ask why, Jihoon pulls him in for a quick kiss. Or so he thought it was quick because when they part again, Chan was right there standing.

He saw. He definitely saw.

“Chan…” Soonyoung utters, unintentionally dropping Jihoon’s hand.

“Sorry! I didn’t mean to! I was – I wanted to ask Jihoon hyung if I could start recording.” Chan said, more relaxed than expected and it confuses Jihoon so much.

There's a sudden stillness around them.

“Why aren’t you freaking out?” Jihoon inquires, eyebrows bunched in the middle.

The youngest simply shrugs. “I had an idea. And do you know how frustrated I was waiting for when will you two finally get your heads out of your asses?”

_What?_

“I’ve known Soonyoung hyung liking you for way too long Jihoon hyung. Besides, Soonyoung hyung doesn’t really know how sneaking out works.”

“Does everyone else know?” Jihoon asks, his palms a little sweaty now.

“Come on hyung, I’m not a tattletale. How did you think you're getting more peace and quiet in your studio lately?” Chan tells them with an expression so smug, it almost renders both of them speechless.

“You were the one telling them Jihoon was always pissed?” Soonyoung interjects.

Chan scoffs, “who else?”

Jihoon couldn’t help but smile, shaking his head. To think that this was their youngest. “No wonder Mingyu always looked like he was about to shit his pants when I asked him to record the demo.”

Then, Chan looks at the two of them back and forth, checking if there was anything more they had to discuss since Chan was now in on the secret too. But the two were silent so he figures that was probably it.

“So hyung? The recording? I’m starving and Hansol hyung wanted to eat ramen together at home.”

“How are you so sure you’ll finish recording right away?”

“Come on hyung, you and I both know I’m the best at recording.” Chan brags, skipping his way to the studio.

Soonyoung takes Jihoon’s hand in his on the way back. The latter simply smiles up at him.

_They’re going to be okay._

  
-

  
“You’ve been dating for 7 months and none of us knew?!” Seungcheol practically screams during their annual meeting at the company to discuss their plans for the coming year.

“Well, Chan knew,” Jihoon tells him, nonchalant.

“What?!”

Dino beams at the eldest, teasing him, mostly proud that he was the only one in on the secret.

“It’s not like no one expected it,” Jisoo adds in.

“I didn’t?!”

“Seungcheol, sit your ass down and stop yelling.” That was Jeonghan.

**Author's Note:**

> I can't believe I joined this fic event on impulse. I've been going through stuff and just saw it on my tl and thought 'heck let's get over this 2-month long writer's block by joining this.' And I'm going to be honest, the prompt had me panicking because I've never written a canon compliant story before and nothing came to mind just from reading the prompt. But here we are.
> 
> I can't believe I wrote this in just 5 hours. Writer's block who? 
> 
> Anyway, I hope you liked it. Don't forget to leave kudos and comments. They are highly appreciated 😊 I'd like to hear what you thought of it.


End file.
